


You’re All I Have

by orphan_account



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Abusive Jerry, Angst, Family, Fluff, Gen, Grandpa Rick Sanchez (Rick and Morty), Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Protective Rick, Protectiveness, Violence, drunk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23749408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Morty gets beaten up by Jerry. Luckily, Rick is there to comfort and protect him.
Relationships: Rick Sanchez & Morty Smith
Comments: 10
Kudos: 161





	1. Chapter 1

Morty’s entire body fell back with the force of the punch to his chest. Morty was pretty small for fourteen and as much as he hated to admit it, he was fairly weak too. He had his fill of being shoved and pushed around by the bigger teens at school, but his father was not a teenage boy. He was a grown man and was using every ounce of strength to relentlessly beat Morty.

It all began when Jerry had come stumbling into their house which he previously shared before Beth kicked him out. He had obviously had a few drinks from the way he nearly knocked over the entry table. 

“Beth!” he began yelling toward the stairs. “I know you’re home bitch!”

Morty looked up from the interdimensional cable he was watching. It was one of his favorite shows about a group of alien teens that solve crimes.

Rick had scoffed at the show when Morty first showed him but Morty could tell a few episodes in he began to like it. Morty craved praise from Rick and was elated when Rick stated it was one of the best shows he had seen on interdimensional cable. They religiously watched it together every Friday night.

However, tonight Morty was watching it alone. Rick ditched him saying he needed some time to himself. Morty knew that meant he’d be in some seedy bar on another planet getting wasted. He couldn’t help but feel a little hurt at the fact Rick had bailed on him tonight and wanted to be away from him. But he wouldn’t mention it when Rick came back fearing he’d get annoyed with his clinginess. His other family members were not home either. Summer being at a friends house and his mother working late. The house was dark and empty. The TV dimly illuminated the living room.

Morty was honestly surprised when he heard his father’s voice as Beth had been very firm in telling him to not show up to the house uninvited. Morty got up from the couch and walked to the doorway where his father was standing. The stench of alcohol immediately hit him as he got closer and he rolled his eyes. His father did not drink that often, but when he did he was a really pathetic and sad drunk, sobbing about his failed marriage and unemployment situation. Morty was a little annoyed knowing he’d have to console his father all night instead of being able to relax and have the house to himself.  
  
“Dad..” he started. Jerry immediately looked up at him and his face contorted into a look of pure rage.

“You little shit...” he said hoarsely narrowing his eyes toward him.

Morty was a little alarmed by this. He did not expect his father to be angry with him. “Um dad moms not h-here right now..” he said sheepishly hoping his father would just leave. 

Jerry looked at him glaringly. “Oh really?” he spat.  
Morty contemplated leaving him in the doorway and going back to the couch. But he had a feeling his father wasn’t gonna go away without being told and did not really want his mom coming home to him. He was so tired of listening to arguing. 

“I know that bitch is off with another man.” he harshly accused jabbing a finger in Mortys face.

Morty gave him a perplexed look and slowly backed away. His dad was acting really angry and weird. He was roughly grabbed by his shirt and yanked forward. The motion nearly sent him falling face first on the floor.

“Woah d-dad stop! Mom is at work!” Morty quickly said hoping to not enrage him any further. He was very anxious now and his father was not backing down. He felt his hands begin to slightly shake as he gently tried to pry his shirt out of his fathers fist. Jerry gripped it harder, seeming to not even register Morty’s words.

“I am done being ignored and shamed in this family!” Jerry shook Morty. “I am the man of the house. You and your fucking mother think Rick is your goddamn savior. He made you think your dumbass was actually smart! You’re just a disrespectful son who needs to be put in his place by his father! Rick is not who you listen to, you listen to me!” Jerry ranted slurring his words.

Morty looked for a way out of this. His fathers words stung him and he could feel tears beginning to form at the corners of his eye. He continued to struggle against his fathers grip. He suddenly felt a surge of anger.

“Y-Yeah well you know what dad? Rick takes care of me and is actually there for me! All you do is fight with mom and avoid getting a job.” Morty said back to him trying to sound tough but the words came out meek sounding.

He inwardly cringed at his anxiety ridden voice but hoped the words would make his father leave him alone.

Unfortunately, they just made Jerry even angrier. “How dare you! I am your father!” Jerry roughly yanked Morty forward and punched him in the chest. Morty fell back onto the floor with a loud thud. He could hardly breathe as the pain flared.

Jerry immediately jumped on him and began plummeting his body with his fists. “You little shit!” Jerry screamed. “No one is gonna be allowed to disrespect me anymore!” Morty held his arms up to protect himself but ultimately failed. The pain left him breathless and unable to defend himself.

He could see his father had a wild, animalistic look in his eyes. It was a look he had never seen before. This is what happens when someone who is powerless finally gains authority Morty shakily thought to himself. 

Jerry was easily able to overtake Morty and unleash years worth of pent up anger and frustration. Jerry knew Rick cared about Morty the most out of anyone else in the family. Hurting Morty equated to hurting Rick, deeply. He wanted to hurt Rick so badly. He felt his life had fallen apart ever since the man had come into their lives. Jerry was extremely angry he no longer had any control over his family. The alcohol in his system blurred his reasoning and morality.

Morty let out a string of weak protests and tried to push his father off. He was quickly silenced when Jerry violently punched him square in the face. Morty immediately felt his nose break, blood came gushing out and his vision blurred. Without missing a beat, Jerry roughly lifted his body off the ground and began slamming him into the wall.

Morty was terrified now. His body was aching with pain. He didn’t know how much more he could take before he passed out. His father didn’t seem like he was losing steam. All he wanted in that moment was the loving, secure touch of his grandfather.

He used his last bit of strength to call out for Rick before succumbing to unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter for y’all :) sorry it took so long!

When Morty woke up from unconsciousness the first thing he noticed was he was unable to fully open one of his eyes. The pain was almost unbearable. Every part of his body ached. He was positioned on the floor in front of the doorway. He could hear someone cursing and looked up to see Rick beating his father. Jerry looked dazed, a thin sheen of blood and sweat covering his tanned skin. His father seemed to be almost passed out but Rick was relentless in beating him.

“R-Rick..” Morty softly called out. Rick looked up from Jerry’s bloody, battered face and his eyes softened at the sight of Morty. 

Morty suddenly felt extremely nauseous. He shakily rolled over to his side and vomited up the contents of his stomach. He grimaced as he felt hot tears leaking out of the corner of his eyes. He heard a loud thump and assumed it was sound of Rick dropping his father onto the floor. He felt cool, rough hands rubbing his back as he wretched. 

“M-Morty, it’s okay buddy. Grandpa’s here.” He continued rubbing his back. “I can’t believe that f-fucking bastard did this to you..” Rick added in an angry mutter. 

Morty didn’t respond and rolled over onto his back in exhaustion. He just wanted to sleep. 

“C’mon Morty, we need to get you fixed up,” Rick began to pull Morty up and into his arms, giving him a sympathetic look as he groaned in pain. Morty let his head lull onto his grandfathers chest.

He was taken to the upstairs bathroom and gently placed in the porcelain bath tub. Morty was touched by how caring and gentle his grandpa was being. But he was still a little resentful at the fact Rick had ditched him tonight, and getting beaten just made him even more sensitive. Rick being gentle with him slowly soothed his hurt feelings. 

“We gotta clean all this f-fucking blood off you, Morty.” Rick said shakily as he began pulling up the hem of Morty’s shirt. Morty felt the fabric cling to his skin, sticky with blood. Rick’s unreadable expression slightly wavered as removing his shirt revealed a multitude of jagged cuts and large red marks that would soon turn to ugly bruises. He stared at Morty’s usually unmarked skin, now inflamed and mutilated, as he took in the extent of his injuries. 

“How did y-you know my dad was hurting me?” Morty asked lowly, suddenly feeling self conscious, wanting the focus off his injuries. Rick continued to undress him and sighed.

“I had just got home and then I heard you call out for me. When I got to you, you were unconscious but t-that fucking bastard was still beating you.” Rick paused taking a short, angry breath. “I sh-shouldn’t have left him alive after what he did to you.” he added a dark look passing over his face. “I’m gonna wash you off now alright.” 

Rick haphazardly threw Morty’s blood stained clothes into a pile in the corner of the bathroom and turned on the water, grabbing the detachable shower head. The steaming water made contact with Mortys skin and he gasped at the stinging pain of it washing over his wounds. The blood ran off his skin, turning the water a rust color as it swirled down the drain. Rick carded his fingers through Morty’s damp hair in an attempt to calm him. He grabbed some body wash that Morty knew was definitely Summer’s by the overwhelming strawberry scent that clogged his nostrils. Rick began lathering Morty’s chest, careful to avoid putting soap directly on his wounds. Morty closed his eyes and tried to get himself to relax. 

He knew at his age it was a little weird that he was enjoying being taken care of by his grandfather. But he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about it. He craved love and affection. Beth was rather distant with him, believing he shouldn’t rely on others for comfort. Jerry was too prideful to be overly physically affectionate with him. He felt alone most of the time, believing his family was forced to care about him only because he related to them. Ever since Rick came into his life, he had someone who was affectionate towards him without doing it simply out of obligation. 

Rick rinsed off the soap and tilted Morty’s chin up, looking closely at his face, tilting it side to side. “U-Um what is it Rick?” Morty asked opening his eyes, feeling a surge of anxiety at Rick’s focus. 

“Your nose is definitely fucking broken..” he deadpanned, taking a swig from his flask, his eyes narrowing in anger. 

“O-oh. I kinda thought it was l-like it hurts really bad.” The throbbing was beginning to cause his entire face to ache. But his body was slowly feeling better, going from being in searing pain to dully aching, the warm water soothed his injures.

“Well no shit it hurts, but it will be fine.” Rick gave him a thin, reassuring smile. “I have a s-serum that’ll fix it, Mooorty.” Rick said, drawing out the “O” in his name. 

Morty gave him a weak smile and let his eyes slip closed once more. 

Rick finished washing the soap off him and cranked the shower handle, the water immediately ceased. “Okay you’re done. I washed the blood off as much as I could.”

Rick slipped his arm under Morty’s knees and pulled him forward. He felt himself being lifted out of the tub and shuddered as the cool air swept across his skin. Rick cradled him against his chest, wrapping him in a soft towel. He began rubbing the sides of his arms with the towel trying to warm him. 

Morty realized he was not in his own room when Rick gently set him down on a bed. The bed was fitted with thin sheets and heavy blanket was placed at the foot. The room had a lingering scent of alcohol and various chemicals. Test tubes and flasks littered the counter spaces. Rick began rummaging through one of the drawers, pulling out some bandages, a jar full of salve, and a syringe with a shiny metallic looking green liquid.

“Wh-why are we in your room, Rick?” Morty asked peering up at him from beneath his wet curls. Rick rolled his eyes exasperatedly and pressed his hand flat against Morty’s chest, slightly applying pressure, coaxing him to lay onto his back. Morty eased himself down on the bed grimacing as weight was put on his wounds. 

“I have to fix you up, Morty. I don’t want you ge-getting blood all over your bed and Beth blaming me for it.” Morty accepted that explanation without any questioning. Rick preferred to skirt around the idea of caring for him than outright admitting it. He usually showed his love for Morty through actions rather than words. Morty felt Rick’s care for him through small acts of physical affection rather than verbal, like when he lightly ruffled his curls, put his hands on Morty’s thin shoulders, or tenderly catered to his injuries after particularly rough adventures. 

Rick began gently patting dry the areas that needed the most medical attention. He swiped some of the sticky salve onto his fingertips and began rubbing it in circular motions on Morty’s deepest cuts. The cuts seemed to instantly close up, leaving thin red lines on his skin. Morty gazed at him through half lidded eyes. He flinched when he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the crook of his inner elbow. The serum he was injected with seemed to work instantly, he felt his nose heal back into place and the throbbing pain halted.

“Looks fucking good as new, Morty.” Rick reassured him. Rick began to bandage his cuts to prevent them from reopening. Morty felt so exhausted, the soft bed and Rick’s soothing touch were slowly lulling him to sleep. Rick finished bandaging and glanced toward his face with a chuckle.

“You can go to sleep, buddy. I’m done h-here.” 

Morty nervously looked at him. “Hookay but In-in your bed..?” 

Rick rolled his eyes but a fond expression remained on his face. “Yes, Morty I just said that you can go to sleep.” 

Morty felt his emotions swell within him and fought to stay composed. “Thank you, Grandpa R-Rick, for taking care of me.” 

Rick caressed his hair and smiled. “No problem, Morty. Grandpa will always be there for you.” 

Morty felt content with that statement and let himself fall into a dreamless, peaceful sleep, feeling safer just knowing his grandpa was right next to him.


End file.
